Funerals limited to 10 people or less in St. Louis due to COVID-19 worries

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    ST. LOUIS (KMOV) — The social gathering limitations impacting businesses across the St. Louis region are also having an impact on funeral homes.

John Baue Devaney operates three funeral homes in St. Charles County.

“With this we are barely able to have ceremonies,” he said.

Baue Funeral Homes typically average four to five funerals each day across its multiple locations.

Funerals are emotional, but attendees are being asked to avoid hugging, kissing, or shaking hands.

Baue Devaney is still encouraging families to have a service, but they are limited to 10 people or less.

He adds families are being offered an opportunity to have a larger service or memorial at a later date.

For those that still want a traditional wake he said they can cycle people in and out.

“10 people in and then when those 10 people leave we will clean and the other 10 are allowed to come,” he said.

He added congregating in the lobby won’t be allowed because Baue is trying to protect its employees and the families they service.

Baue Devaney said grief is complicated, and some families are upset at the circumstances, but “they aren’t mad at us, they are mad at the situation.”

Baue Funeral Home is offering web casting, video tributes, online guest books, and virtual grief sessions for those that can’t attend in person because of the social gathering bans currently in place.

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